A Moment to Catch Your Breath
by Samwise Baggins
Summary: Just another day in the life of a healer… just not a typical day. Islinne 10P


Title: A Moment to Catch Your Breath

Author: Sam

Series: Islinne Weyr 10th Pass

Rating: G: Nothing negative. A "fluffy" story.

Summary: Just another day in the life of a healer… just not a _typical_ day.

Spoiler: Not really, no, unless you are unfamiliar with anything basic in the _Dragonriders_.

Category: Drama, General

Disclaimer: "_Dragonriders of Pern (R)"_ is a registered trademark to Anne McCaffrey 1967_(c)_. All the ensuing titles therein are also trademarks of Anne (and Todd McCaffrey) and _The Worlds of Anne McCaffrey, Ltd_. I am in no way connected with these people, and I do not claim ownership to these characters, lands, or names. I have borrowed them to share a story . . . and most likely not a story either would have written, had they had the time or no. I am making no money from this, and it is just for my entertainment and that of free entertainment to a select group of friends. Thank You.

Distribution: Please ask first?

Setting: AU 10th pass: Telgar Hold

Note: I have not yet read any of the Todd McCaffrey books in the series, so this is AU, concentrating on a time almost 1000 years after Anne McCaffrey's 9th Pass ends. If this story contradicts any of Mr. McCaffrey's revelations, please forgive me. None of the characters are based on the canon characters, nor are the canon characters ever mentioned.

Second Note: Islinne Weyr was formerly Southern Weyr. For those who wish to know more about the 10th Pass hinted at in this fan-fiction, please contact me.

Feedback: Please? I love comments.

--

3378.09.10 (August 22, 1978)

Shading her eyes, the young woman turned towards the distant horizon. Red and gold gilding surrounded the cots as she watched the dawn. It was a glorious day. Heat shimmered across the valley before her, and the lowing of herdbeasts drifted lazily over the grassland to her left.

As the sun finally appeared fully over what appeared to be the rim of the world, Allex smiled and turned. Really, she shouldn't have taken so long from her chores, but it was a rare occurrence to be alone on such a glorious morning.

Shaking her waist-length black tresses free from their restraining band, Allex ran her hands through the straight mane of hair. Warm brown eyes appeared to be laughing as she started back into the hold, smiling.

Upon crossing the threshold, the sound of petulant demands rose up to assail her. Allex sighed, but didn't let her smile slip… much. It wasn't as genuine as before, but at least she meant it to be pleasant, not sarcastic. She entered the sickroom.

"Here I am, Shunvana. The weather is glorious this morning. No winds or rain to bring on aches today." The journeywoman healer checked her patient's bandages as she chattered. "The sun has just risen and there's a promise of heat to come. You're almost completely recovered from that fall. I believe today you'll be permitted to take the air."

If Allex had expected the woman to appreciate the treat offered, she was sadly mistaken. Instantly an almost unintelligible jumble of words issued from the rather dour woman in the bed. The complaints may have been untranslatable, but Allex recognized the pattern from turns of training with and caring for intransigent patients.

She bathed the woman's face, helped her into a fresh sleeping gown, and carefully moved her into a chair. Letting the woman take a little break from the exercise, Allex changed the bed linens. When Shunvana seemed suitably recovered, Allex helped her to stand and take a few steps to the cothold door, all the while making soothing noises to comfort the injured woman.

Once outside, the cotholder's wife seemed to brighten. She smiled at the sight of the fine morning. Almost tugging Allex in her haste, the woman was more than happy to sit on the shaded bench and watch the animals grazing nearby. Allex was relieved.

This would ease up her duties considerably, giving her time to review those notes on blood coagulation again. As a journeywoman in the craft, Allex was studying for the senior journeyman test she'd soon be permitted to take. This small break would just give her more time to review.

Not one for actually using a break the way it was intended, unless someone else was with her, Allex made a habit of filling in almost all of her free time with odd chores or jobs. She was often busy, and that very activity actually made her feel good. Some would call her a workaholic, meaning that she was addicted to working, but she didn't agree. She wasn't addicted to the work, but to the constantly being busy. She'd have been just as busy reading to a sick child, stitching a new shirt, or even walking through the local pasture watching the herdbeasts.

Checking on Shunvana one last time, Allex headed inside to get her notes. She enjoyed the life of a healer, even when it meant dealing with ornery patients who argued every procedure, but it could get wearying all the same. The most tiring part was covering for a senior journeyman with a broken leg. That was the reason she was in a cothold, rather than the main hold. She was the only journeyman available to travel way out here and stay for three days or so.

The sound of a hoarse, demanding call had Allex dropping her hide bag and running outside. She had no clue what to expect, but it certainly wasn't what she saw. Unable to help herself, the healer smiled at the sight of a replacement junior journeyman coming up the track.

Allex waved enthusiastically.

"Welcome. As you can see, Shunvana is doing rather well today. She was enjoying the sunshine and warmth. Have you come to tend her now that she's out of danger?"

Shunvana seemed to preen at the words, though they were a standard at a shift change. The older woman seemed to think Allex was giving her a compliment; Allex didn't dissuade her. The replacement gave a gusty sigh, which Allex felt like echoing.

"So, this is my patient? She looks healthier than I am." He held a hand out to Allex. "You're to report directly back to the hold. Some sort of message from the Hall, I hear."

Allex nodded, letting her self give the patient a reassuring pat before going inside to collect her stuff. It was within minutes that the journeywoman was on the road towards the main hold, pondering the summons from her Lord and possibly her Master.

Fortunately, it didn't take long to return, perhaps a half hour of wondering and worrying, and she was riding into the main courtyard of Telgar Hold proper. There, she was greeted by another healer with a packet and a smile.

"I suppose these are those notes you've been wanting on obscure Southern blood oddities in children, huh?"

Allex smiled and took her packet. "I was summoned back for this? That could have waited. Was I needed here? A sick child?" Children were her specialty, though she was well rounded in all fields.

The journeyman shook his head. "No. We just had that new posting, so Master thought you'd be better in the main Hold. The new journeyman can tend to a woman with healing injuries. You're needed where we have odd shifts due to odd problems."

"I feel so loved," Allex laughed. Slipping her packet into her bag, she headed up to the Hold to report in. It wouldn't due to let the Master think she didn't take a summons seriously, even one as blatantly friendly as this had been. She knocked on her Master's door.

"I've returned from Shunvana's, Master."

The response was short, curt, and final. "Good. Go work."

Shrugging, Allex almost skipped up the steps to her room. She stopped short when she realized that her room had been cleared out! Everything was gone. Even the bed linens were gone. Slipping her packs to the floor, Allex spun slowly around. "What… where?"

A soft voice behind her had Allex whirling around. Her master stood there, frowning. He cleared his throat and gestured to her packs. "Grab those. You're on your way back to the Hall. They want to test you for your seniority. We'll see if you're tapped or not."

Allex blinked, then the message sunk in. "I'm to be tested?" She sounded confused, relieved, and still apprehensive all at once.

The master nodded once, then whirled around and made his way back down to first floor. Allex grabbed her packs and hurried after him, intending to get moving as soon as she was able. She made it to his office moments after he had, waiting for her orders.

The next few moments would stay in her mind forever, reminding her that at the slightest whim of fate, one's whole direction in life could change.

A cry of "Dragons landing!" rang through the main floors of Telgar Hold. Everyone who could came hurrying out to greet the unexpected visitors. Allex and her Master wound up somewhere in the middle of the group.

Two beautiful dragons were already settled on the courtyard grounds. The vivid colors of the blue and green stood out even among the colorful inhabitants of the tropical Weyr. Allex briefly thought that no weaver could match those particularly bright shades of dragonhide. The riders were approaching.

Bowing to the Lord, the bluerider gestured to his companion. "Our duty to your Hold and Lady. I am G'gory of Medavoyth and this is Margarette of Moeth. We come on Search."

Allex smiled, shifting her packs on her shoulder. This was the first Search she'd ever witnessed, though she'd heard of them before. She looked at the shoulder knots of the riders and wasn't surprised to find that they belonged to Telgar Weyr.

The Lord had obviously agreed to the Search; he was leading the riders towards the Main Hold. Allex nodded to them as they passed by. The bluerider, G'gory, took only two more steps before he stopped and swung around, staring at his dragon.

The man glanced carefully around at the group gathered before him. When his eyes fell on Allex and the Holder's daughter next to her, he seemed to jolt. The healer noticed the rider's eyes glaze over in the traditional sign that he was conversing with his dragon. Then his eyes cleared and he bowed formally.

"I come on Search, and the object of my Search is you." He was looking at Allex.

She blinked, looked at the young woman next to her then turned back towards the rider. Preparing to be corrected and fully embarrassed by her response, Allex pointed to herself and asked "Me?"

The greenrider, Margarette, grinned and nodded. "Yes, you," she said with a laugh, checking Allex's own shoulder knots. "We can go to your Hall to formally arrange it, if you wish."

"And you're already packed," G'gory added.

Feeling a gentle shove from behind, Allex glanced back into the smiling face of the Master Healer assigned to Telgar Hold. "Go, journeywoman. Accept Search. If you don't Impress, you can test later. I'll write to the Master and clear it for you."

Allex smiled. She turned back to the riders and nodded. "I accept your Search, riders of Telgar Weyr."

With a laugh, Margarette pulled her towards her dragon, leaving G'gory to continue the Search. Helping her onto the green dragon, the rider jumped up behind her and settled the straps.

Allex sighed. "Telgar Weyr… what a lovely name to go with my new life."

--

FIN


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